Job 36:18 Commentary and Bible Study

There are difficulties in the translation, the question being whether the wrath mentioned belongs to Job or to God. The verb translated ‘deliver’ means ‘entice’, ‘allure’, or ‘take away’. The first translation suggests that Job will be carried away by his own wrath, and the second that he may be taken away by God in his wrath. The KJV takes the second view, and describes the unrecoverable position that Job would then put himself in if he persists with his intransigence. He has already expressed his indignation and so far this has not put him in an unrecoverable position, but if God’s patience were to be exhausted, who then could deliver him?Elihu warns Job of the extreme danger he is in if he stubbornly persists in his course and does not listen to the admonition being given to him. There is a danger that he will cross a line from which there is no recovery, for he has already brought wrath on himself by his intransigence and he does not know where that line lies or how far he can go down the path of rebellion before God says enough. The implication is that Job is taking a great risk by continuing in this way and that there is a limit to what the Lord will put up with from him. Then no amount of earthly riches, or promises of improvement or change, or created power of any sort, could change God’s mind – a truly terrifying prospect, but one which would certainly succeed in bringing Job to a better state of mind.Did you think, Job, that your wealth would put you above the government of God? God has had to leave you in this state. When you had all these things, did you think you were not subject to the discipline of God? We can get into such a state when we forget we need to pursue godliness – sanctification. No one can get away with sin. Because we are prominent in the society or even in his service, it does not mean that God will not call us to account.